Oct. 24 Menu and Events (Day 59)

Hello hello! I hope you are all doing well on this wonderful Wednesday!

I am doing so amazingly terrifically fabulously wonderfully well! I’m at my treadmill desk, deep in the heart of Broncos Country, writing to you this morning as the leaves swirl around outside.

I want to take a quick minute and discuss the seemingly weird, seemingly imbalanced menus I share on this site which are indicative of what I eat on a daily basis.

I have had some concerns coming through that my menus leave much to be desired and that they actually dampen some readers’ view of the site as a whole.

And that’s OK.

Now listen to why I do this, especially if you are a new reader. I am about to spill my guts and, since housework isn’t a strength, I don’t want to clean up my guts more than once.

With so many of us following different plans to get to health, I can guarantee you that what I’m doing (20ish net, 65% + fat, 30% protein and the rest of carbohydrate content from vegetables and fruits) probably isn’t going to appeal to everyone–especially once you note my menu doesn’t vary dramatically.

The benefit is, my menu:

keeps my blood sugar down,

helps me understand which introduced foods cause me issues, and

keeps things simple so I can focus on other tasks at hand.

Menus are specifically listed for:

those who have been literally asking for months for me to share what I eat (despite my assurances that these would be boring and lackluster),

who already know I eat about the same thing every day, only eat when hungry, and stop when full (for the most part), and

who want to know how I’m doing as a result.

Most of you know I am a rampant experimenter, since my biggest mistake from past weight loss attempts was not paying attention to how foods treat me. I don’t want to sacrifice weight loss and health for extreme variety that I know people expect to see from someone who develops recipes.

Also remember I am attempting to deal with quite a few food intolerances including, but not limited to:

soy

gluten

dairy

tree nuts

some legumes

latex

fiber

moldy foods

nightshades

I develop recipes, but I also really enjoy simplicity and a routine. And, as you can see, I am trying to suss out intolerances.

So if you’re new here and don’t understand why I share menus (especially mind-numbingly dull ones), hopefully this helps.

If you wonder why I eat almost the same thing every day, now hopefully you know that these foods are my baseline foods. They:

are filling

are effective

don’t cause stalls or slow-downs

allow me the privilege of testing new foods and to know immediately where an issue exists

It might seem boring, but for me, 90+% of the time, food is just fuel.

I love creating new, innovative recipes for families around the world, but when it comes to me, I have to be even more restrictive.

I enjoy knowing I can put my brain power towards my latest phyto-nutrient based recipe for my millions of readers and not wonder what I plan to eat that day.

I’m secure in what I’m doing, have a long history with ketogenic eating, and I change things up when necessary.

I am not selling menu plans. I am not telling a single person to “eat what I eat.” I am just–amazingly, sort of boringly–and mainly nerdily–me.

I am not a proselytizer or a guru.

I’m just a girl who is whittling her middle using the most scientific methods I can for me.

I am my own control group, just as you are yours.

If you don’t like the menus, please skip them. I am not going to be upset or take it as a personal affront. I don’t get all aghast and think the world revolves around the olive I supped upon yesterday… I am not that important. The work I’m doing is. As such, the menus are their own entity and not part and parcel with what I provide in terms of recipes millions of families around the world enjoy.

Now, on to what I ate today… Wheee!

For anyone just joining us, first of all, here’s the plan I’m following, along with the Mid-Year Resolution Challenge. While you look at what I’m doing, be sure to do your thing. I am thrilled to give some ideas, but I’m not the person you should necessarily look to for dieting advice (I’m not a paid nosh-a-titian). I am, however, here with you to cheer you on when you’re so skinny you will have to watch slipping through the cushions of your couch. Be sure to subscribe for updates by adding your email right (in the sidebar) or through Feedburner in the title bar up top! You can also click the tab up top that says Mid-Year Resolution for the daily play-by-play and to see what I’m doing. Whee!

Wednesday, October 24

I ate this:Breakfast: High-fiber chocolate smoothie[review at the link. By the way, I use almond milk in place of the dairy]Lunch:olives + nuts + cheese + pepperoniDinner: celery + tuna salad

Exercise: I walked for 2 hours and 2 miles at my treadmill desk

Notes: I am having a high fiber smoothie in an experiment to see how the fiber affects me. In this shake, all of the carbs are deductable to 0 because of the fiber from chicory root and inulin. This means one of two things: Either it will be an amazingly delicious feast that keeps me full longer, or it’s going to make me miserable.

Update: I didn’t really notice anything from the smoothie mixes, so I’ll likely keep drinking one a day and add a raw egg to it (I don’t recommend sucking down raw eggs) for more protein. As an aside, I use almond milk to substitute for the heavy white cream called for on the back of the package.

What I learned:

I am in the process of shedding the inflammation/water weight from my wheat/soyapalooza from earlier in the week. I definitely was up several times last night running to the bathroom. I also suspect that my being so so tired was the result of my immune system expending its effort fighting off the wheat and nightshade inflammation. It didn’t have anything left to help fight off this cold.

It goes to show that the foods we eat affect my immune system in more ways than one. It can nourish the immune system; or, in the case of a food intolerance, it tries with every fiber of its being to protect the body from the dire effects of food intolerance through inflammation.

Share this:

Comments

Thanks for being so open with your diet. I seem to have some problems with constipation and do the Psyllium (sugar free) but that doesn’t seem to really help. I have been in Ketosis for about 5 weeks now and have lost 20 pounds in those 5 weeks. I do have some back pain, in my kidney area, have you ever had any issues with back pain. Sometimes I wonder if its kidney pain or from some constipation. Again thanks for your continued willingness to share!

I’m glad you aren’t worried about the people who find your menus boring. There aren’t too many among us who have time or the inclination to put together a gourmet dinner. every night. Seriously, food is a fuel, albeit an enjoyable one. It’s something to keep up your energy to run your real life. I am also in this mode. You *are* doing great and important work and I, for one thank you for your honesty, humour and your contributions to the LC world. Resume your olive and cheese noshing.

Hi Jamie. Sounds like you are doing what is right for you and that is what it’s all about. I am wondering if you’ve heard of an intolerance of stevia? I have been having major stomach issues and the only thing I have been doing differently is using stevia instead of splenda. today, I went back to only splenda and didn’t have a problem. I love stevia and wanted to use it for most of my sweetening, but not if it makes me stay in the bathroom all day! any ideas? thanks for all you do. we love you.

Hi, Rebecca! It is said that those with an allergy to ragweed plants should also avoid stevia. I have, however, also heard from people who have issues with ragweed not having trouble with stevia, so the processing might be the key. In any event, if you find it’s not working for you, definitely avoid it–it affects others negatively as well. I think everyone has a sweetener that isn’t going to be marvellous based on our individual needs/allergies.

Way to go Jamie!! Do your thing. I really enjoy your site and look forward to reading it every day. Do you have the recipe for the high fiber smoothly? Or if it is a mix what is the brand and where can I get it? I live in Canada and there are so many things we can’t get up here
and when I try to order on line from the US a lot of sites will not ship to us. Bummer.
Anyway keep up the good work

Good morning and thanks for the update Jamie! I’ve cut my carbs to 20, cause I’m @ a stall and took out some things to see if that helps. Also, I bought two low carb cookbooks, so I can lose this stubborn 15. Lost 15 and now fluctuating, so I’m changing up. You know what they say about insanity? Anyway, I like your simple and easy plan and will incorpate your lunch for dinner. I like things simple. Have a blessed one!

Jamie, I appreciate your menus and for me, the ease of eating the same thing, almost every day, is not only easy, but keeps me on track. Once I get too creative – I get too fat!!! Sorry, but that’s the truth. I don’t get bored with what I eat. It works for me, as your plan works for you. Again Jamie I appreciate you. Keep it up!!

I really enjoyed this today! As you said your menus may be boring, I happen to find them perfect. I LOVE simple! Most days, for me, what some people would look at as a snack I find quite filling. I have tried many of your recipes and they fit my household’s lifestyle. That being said, I just want to say thank you for sharing your ups & downs, your progress, for keeping it real and just being you!!

Morning Jamie,
You are so very right about working on what is right for you. Ouy bodies are different from one another and one size fits all idea only still works on only one size. When I tell people that I find heavy cream a major staple in my low carb diet, they cringe! “You could lose weight so much faster if you didn’t use cream!” Oh sure I could. But I prefer a slow weight loss with a flavorable and pleasurable quality of life. And I have no desire to go off the diet. People try to tempt me and while I will take one small bite for politeness, I have the willpower to say that while it is good I don’t need another bite.
SUCH POWER!!!
Love ya
73’s & 88’s
KJ5YW

You are so sweet! It’s not always easy to be my own guinea pig (today I introduced cornmeal in to see how it affects me), but I learn so much in the process about what I can and can’t expect to be able to eat…

Truthfully, I believe you, Jamie, are teaching us how to eat! Sometimes we pull back, keep it very low carb….and simple….meat and veg. However, that does not mean tasty and delicious! Spices and herbs can go a long way to add ral flavour to our daily fare! Spices and herb can be changed everyday to create a new taste sensation! Losing weight this way can be delicious all the time….it is merely the creativity level that must be maintained to keep us “interested and looking forward to” our next meal! Everyone here knows the low cal salad only diets do not work for us…..because hunger and cravings are our true enemy!

After you release this week regarding frozen veggie….I marched out and filled my freezer with frozen french green beans and frozen spinach! You reminded me that I cannot live on the side salads of romaine alone…no matter how much garlic I add to the aioli that becomes my zero carb salad dressing!

Keep up the generous sharing…it inspires me…nourishes my culinary imagination and teaches me how to cook and eat! There are not enough words in the English language that even begin to express my deepest thanks for your valued assistance herein….and love to us all!

Thank you for your imput, what looks in healthy for some is sometimes what you need for yourself, the other options are eating the junk you have and staying the same you are, so keep going, I also think the amounts of food we are told to eat including veg can be a enourmous mistake so take care and eat an olive with a celery stick and enjoy;)

Hi Jamie, just my two cents here… I think there is also a big difference in how we long-termers eat, too. I have been low carb off and on for 7 years. I eat 3 eggs for breakfast every morning and have for 18 months straight. This sounds very boring, but luckily I like eggs… and I know that starting my day with this breakfast makes me happily full until lunchtime, doesn’t give me weird food cravings/blood sugar issues, and gives me a good base for the rest of the day. When I first starting eating this way I wanted lots of variety — but since I have escaped from the “tyranny of food” I view food more as fuel, like you said. I have learned to listen to my body and know when I need more fuel. And most importantly I pay attention to what my body is telling me and give it what it wants! I have learned that it isn’t worth it to me to splurge with high carb foods, so I have lots of yummy low carb splurges in my repertoire thanks to people like you. 🙂

I love your $.02! I am an experimenter, too. As an example, today I had the same nachos I typically order sans chips with corn chips just to see how I am with corn. Because of my simple meal choices, I know the corn is the new factor and I won’t have to guess what might cause me issues-if there are any.

Jaime, the way you describe your basic eating plan (20ish net carbs, 65% fat and 30ish% protein) is how I lost 65 pounds. I, too, tend to eat the same foods over and over, which is not a bad thing. In fact, “they” say that variety actually sparks your appetite. BUT…. I stopped doing that in July, OD’d on carbs and have gained back 30 (eek!) pounds already. And I’m having a devil of a time putting the brakes on and turning it around. The big downfall for me was/is needing to cook in order to stick with it, which I absolutely loathe–cooking, that is. If I can’t grab ‘n go (or have someone else cook for me, ha ha) it ain’t gonna happen. So, I hear you on keep it simple! I love to read your recipes, but I’ll never make them. What other no-fuss, lazy-lady menus do you suggest? How is the inulin in that shake agreeing with you? Best, and keep on keeping on.

Mary– I have done really well eating simply, too! I am down roughly 40 pounds, feel amazing, and when I’m bored, I try something new! It works for me. Easy menus for me just keep veggies and proteins and fats at the forefront to stave off the hunger. I might have tuna in celery ribs, or eat cheese on cucumber slices. I just love the simple things for me, but I have a blast writing and developing new recipes, too!